Darwin the taxonomist

Friday, February 6th, 2009 | History of Science, Personalities, Taxonomy

Barnacles

Everybody likes popular science stories with clear and simple eureka moments. In the case of Charles Darwin’s theory of Evolution his voyage on board the H.M.S. Beagle and exploration of the Galapagos archipelago usually serves for such narrative purpose.

Of course Darwin’s story is much more complex, richer and interesting. Something seldom mentioned is Darwin the taxonomist. He published extensive monographs revising the classification of extant and extinct barnacles (Cirripedia). Taxonomic work at that scale amounted the study of morphology, ontogeny and biogeography across many species in a comparative framework. It does provides a great perspective that was an influential piece in Darwin’s synthesis.

It is with great pleasure then that I see that this week’s Science Magazine cover portraits plates of Darwin’s monographs for their special issue on speciation.

Further reading

Stott, Rebecca. 2003. Darwin and the Barnacle: The Story of One Tiny Creature and History’s Most Spectacular Scientific Breakthrough. W.W. Norton, 309 pages.
ISBN 0393057453, 9780393057454

Darwin’s monographs:

Darwin, C. 1851-54. A Monograph on the Sub-Class Cirripedia. 2 vols. Ray Society.
———— 1851. A Monograph on the Fossil Lepadidae. , or, Pedunculated Cirripedes of Great Britain. Palaeontographical Society.
———— 1854. A Monograph of the Fossil Balanidae and Verrucidae of Great Britain. Palaeontographical Society.